1. Keep the area moist until the rest of the grass is up. You might sprinkle a little more seed in the thin areas.

2. Buy a low caliber rifle. As long as you are watering the area, no repellent is going to work.

3. Young grass doesn't like to be mushed down, so it isn't surprising that it doesn't look great now. Try to stay off of it and it should recover.

4.When establishing grass, I suggest you make the first couple of mows at 2" or so. As it thickens up, you can let it grow taller. If the temps are dropping, the grass will stop growing above ground. It will continue growing roots for several more weeks though.

5. Try to keep the area moist as long as you can. If the temps drop, that may mean twice a week, but play it by ear.

6. Try to keep the leaves off as much as possible. I generally prefer a leaf blower, but a gentle raking works too. You really don't want to have wet leaves on a new lawn.

Thanks for the help! Unfortunatley, I think my neighbors would be a little annoyed at the rifle, but man do I wish I could just shoot a few of those little suckers.

First of all, that is a decent amount to have tilled. I wouldn't worry about it.

1.) You have uneven germination which can be attributed to many factors including uneven irrigation, not spreading enough seed, not having good soil contact there and more shade.

2.) I don't know, never had this problem
3.) Same.

4.) Fine fescue usually takes a real long time to establish. It's still October! Give it time. Give it Months. In spring it will be growing much more vigorously. You could expect first mowing in about 2 weeks.

5.) I like Bills answer for this. For what it's worth, we are under a complete watering ban here and since germination the grass hasn't been watered much at all and so far so good. It isn't getting daily water.

6.) I've found large sycamore leaves laying in places in my lawn and when I pick up the leaves the grass is taller greener and healthier looking. But I wouldn't want it to stay there too long. Leaf blowers are good. You should be able to walk on it by now.

Um about the squirrels, they are highly territorial, you can shoot a hundred in a row and just as fast as you can do that, another will be there to take the prior one's place. Save your ammo for the rabbits.

Think of the squirrels as your friend. They are adding organics to the soil. Yeah, right. I'm in Woodbridge, if that is close to you and I've noticed my shady areas just aren't growing any. The soil temps are going down fast this week. I would not recommend you cut at all at least as long as this cool spell lasts. I wish I had not cut that area the last time I mowed. You didn't say what your fertilizer was, but assume starter of some kind. If you planted early October perhaps a shot of high nitrogen to get a little more growth. But otherwise I'd keep the leaves off and the ground damp and apply a winterizer next month. It will "Spring" to life next year.

Squirrels may be territorial, but so are humans. We have guns though, so that gives us a distinct advantage.

Anyway, that was a bit of a joke. Nobody should be firing guns at any animals in an urban or suburban setting.

I've found that cayenne pepper mixed with water and sprinkled on plants seems to keep the squirrels out of a veggie garden. Obviously, you need to reapply every time it rains (or you water) so that would only be an option if weather allows. Also, if you have a pets, you might not want to use that method.

After fighting squirrels for a few years (repellants and air rifle) I learned to live with them. They only dig up the lawn for a few weeks and, if your lawn is healthy, it repairs itself pretty quickly.

My fight now is keeping the tree rats away from the bird feeders.

Capt Tom

My fight now is keeping the tree rats away from the bird feeders.

You might try to find Squirrel Away (powdered capsicum pepper). Mammals can't stand it. Birds can't taste hot and the Vitamin A makes their feathers glossy and healthy.

The poor man's solution--identical to the above--is to buy dried capsicum peppers or regular ones and dry 'em yourself, then seal them into a blender you don't much care about. Powder them and add them to the seed.

Do that outside, please. Capsicum pepper is the principle ingredient in pepper spray. Get it in your eyes or mucous membranes and you're going to know it.

> If you planted early October perhaps a shot of high nitrogen to get a little more growth.

Agreed.
Drop some 46-0-0- urea down! (see URL's from Purdue University)

http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/tips/2007/10_25fert.html

http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/tips/2007/10_25novfert.html

I don't have problems with moles in my current yard. I will occasionally find one who dared the gauntlet of clay and rock and stumbled on my sidewalk with a concussion, where without medical attention they pass peacefully into mole afterlife. That's a true story.

I have encountered moles in previous yards with real soil and the best way to stay rid of them is a cat. If you have an outdoor cat you will not have moles. You're biggest problem then will be disposing of dead moles on your patio..........and having a cat.